Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Mt. 9:37-38)

ENTE (Specialized Nazarene Theological Education) has been providing ministerial education for ordination using the validated 24-module curriculum for the USA, since 2005 in four locations with a total of 55 students enrolled. ENTE has graduated three groups as follows: (Albuquerque - 8, Oklahoma City - 4, El Paso - 7). There will be another graduation in the Kansas City District program in May 2012. Several of the graduated students are serving in pastoral assignments and are candidates for ordination in this year’s district assemblies.

In June 2007 ENTE was officially recognized as a member of the Nazarene Bible College Alliance. ENTE formed a committee to start a conversation with NBC to design a program for students wishing to pursue their B.A. with the portfolio concept.

In June 2010, Dr. Gary W. Streit, VP for Academic Affairs Nazarene Bible College, wrote a letter to the district superintendents about the new program: “Nazarene Bible College, in partnership with the USA/Canada Hispanic Ministries, is pleased to announce the decision to develop a Hispanic Pastoral Ministries major, culminating in the Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree. Dr. Roberto Hodgson, Hispanic Coordinator USA/Canada, Church of the Nazarene; Dr. Alberto Guang, Spanish Ministry Coordinator, Northwest Indiana District, Church of the Nazarene; and Dr. Alan Lyke, Chair of the Church Ministries Department at Nazarene Bible College, are serving as the program’s planning task force. While several of the program’s courses have already been developed and have students enrolled in them, it is hoped that cohorts of students will be recruited to begin the program in fall 2011.”

In September 2011, ENTE will be launching a new residency program with the NBC/Alliance portfolio at the facilities of the Spanish First Church in Kansas City. ENTE is targeting a cohort of 8-10 young men who have completed high school or an equivalency. (Note: At the present there are no facilities to accommodate women in the program. As the program gets established, it is our hope to build adequate facilities for young women that God is calling into the ministry.) Rev. Leonel DeLeon is serving as the coordinator of admission and Roberto Hodgson as the director. The Hispanic Strategic Readiness Team is overseeing the program.

ENTE’s vision is to train a new generation of Hispanic/Latino young people to minister in their own fast-growing communities and also to serve in multi-lingual or multicultural congregations using their bilingual and multicultural background.

Please pray for ENTE in its effort with this new ministerial education initiative.